DURHAM, N.C. - Duke field hockey head coach Pam Bustin announced Thursday the release of the 2013-14 schedule, which includes matchups against 12 of the top 25 teams in last season's National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) rankings as well as meetings with all four of last season's NCAA Tournament semifinalists North Carolina, Syracuse, Princeton and Maryland.

Duke's 2013 opponents had a combined record of 237-140 (.629) last season, with 13 of the 18 schools tallying double digit wins and eight of those teams making the NCAA Tournament.

On the season, the Blue Devils are scheduled to have 12 home matches, ten of which are against non-conference opponents, highlighted by matches against Old Dominion Sept. 15 and Stanford Oct. 20.

The Blue Devils kick off the 2013 season with two home matches at Jack Katz Stadium, playing host to Indiana Aug. 30 before quickly turning around and facing Drexel Sept. 1. Duke hits the road the following weekend for a highly anticipated Sept. 6 matchup against reigning national champion Princeton, before travelling to Piscataway, N.J., for a meeting with Rutgers Sept. 8.

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is widely regarded as the most competitive conference in field hockey, demonstrated by the fact that 10 of the last 11 national titles have been claimed by ACC teams. The Blue Devils 2013 ACC slate includes road matchups with North Carolina on Sept. 27, Virginia Oct. 18 and Boston College Oct. 25, and home contests against Wake Forest Oct. 6, Syracuse Oct. 11 and Maryland concluding the regular season Nov. 2.

Duke, ranked 22nd in the final NFHCA poll, will open the 2013 season with an experienced team, returning 15 of the 19 members of the 2012 squad, including All-ACC honorees Paula Heimbach and Emmie Le Marchand. Heimbach, a native of Palm, Pa., started all 18 games on the Blue Devils' defensive line last season, registering her first career defensive save and first collegiate goal during the 2012 campaign, and garnered All-America and All-South Region honors. Le Marchand, a native of Worcester, England led the Blue Devils in scoring last season, tallying 11 goals and five assists for a team-best 27 points.